LAFFNVEGAS'S First LIVE From a Princess Ship The Crown

Good Morning Princess Cruisers :) If you ever go to the HAL board you may know me. I have done numerous LIVE from threads. I get very detailed and often quite humorous :D I basically tell it like it is and do a lot of laughing at myself.

This past year Tom's and my cruise journeys have taken us on a B2B E. Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, and a Full Transit Panama Canal. All of which have been on Holland America. We have decided to spread our wings a bit and try Princess.

A little about us Tom and I (Lisa) are both the double nickel. We started cruising in 2002 our first cruise was RCI Monarch, after that we found HAL and have sailed on all of the HAL ships but three. In 2008 I lost my long time job as a Finance Director at a car dealership and was unemployed for 8 months in that time we took advantage of my time off and did several longer cruises. Upon returning home from our last 7 day cruise to Alaska in June I decided I better find a job and was very fortunate to go to work in the Travel Industry which has been my passion for years.

We chose the Crown mostly due to the fact that a good friend of ours who we met almost 5 yrs ago on Holland America had gone to work for Princess and was working on the Crown, shortly before payment he resigned from Princess so we had the choice of keeping with our plans or doing something else. We chose to stay with the cruise because I had read so many great things about the Crown and I owned it to myself to try Princess. Another reason is another CC member who he and his wife have cruised with us for two years in a row had decided to also join us. This will make our third cruise together so I am sure it will lead to many laughes.

Let the journey begin :D

We are sitting in McCarren Airport with our flight about an hour away. We got up early because with all the new security things at the airport we were not sure how long it would take, we only live 10 minutes from the airport and the ride was very uneventful. For those that have following my writing in the past you know that our son stays home to watch the animals and drives us to the airport. For many years I called the ride in our son's car Mr. Toad's Wild Ride:eek: Well, now that our son is 30 yrs old the driving has calmed down considerably.

We are flying on a non stop SW to FLL and I am sure hoping that the plane has WiFi for the 4 hour and 35 minute flight. We are staying this evening at the Hyatt Place that we purchased thru Hot Wire thanks to reading posts here on CC. This is sort of a holiday weekend and when I started looking for hotels back in October I was shocked at how many were already full and twice the price of what we paid in Dec. 08 and April 09. Our last two stays were at the Embassey which I personally was not impressed with for the price. Since we only paid $85 for this night I figure How bad can it be. We actually have stayed at this property back in 2005 the last time we did a Western Caribbean Cruise when it was an Amerisuites.

I am looking forward to keeping everyone posted on all the little silly details that will happen on this cruise and hope to keep you all entertained and make it feel as though you are cruising with me :) Don't be surprised when I do a lot of comparing of Princess to HAL because after 161 days with HAL that is pretty much all we know, so sit back and enjoy the cruise.

Bon Voyage

Lisa,Tom, Michelle and Frank. I'd ask "Are you Packed Yet?" but if you're not, you're in deep do-do:eek: LOL Have a great time guys

I always enjoy people's "Live From" posts! I'm looking forward to following your adventures.

Have a great cruise!

Hi Lisa, I have read some of your notes over the past couple of years so we must have been on the same HAL at one time. We will also be on the Crown tomorrow. I am bringing my son and daughter and their significant others- all in their 20s and the 2 granddaughters, 1 and 7. We're coming from RI and glad to escape the frigid temps and snow. Because of all the family members, I was not going to go to the meet and greet this time but now I am intrigued to meet you in person so see you there. Bert and I were on the Crown in Sept when we sailed from England to NYC via Norway, Iceland and Greenland. The crew were great and she is a beautiful ship. See you Sunday Mary aka rosebriarmary

Bon Voyage Lisa. I have read your posts for years on the HAL boards and always enjoy your descriptions. DH and I also love cruising with HAL but we have cruised with Princess since 2003 and did a Crown cruise in 2006. We had a great time on the Crown Princess and I think you will too.:)

Looking forward to following your posts.

Enjoy!!

We lool forward to your news. Bon voyage. We are doing the same cruise next month and are keen to know as much as possible including recommendations of trips, restaurants, entertainment, day time activities.

Let's hope the weather is kinder to you than those who were cold this week. What is the temperature and weather like today?

Lisa, enjoy your cruise. We just loved the Crown and I look forward to reading other reviews about her. Keep the comments coming!

Karen

Bon Voyage, Lisa... Have a great cruise. We'll be following you from your hometown of Vegas....

Even though we have not sailed on the Crown, I think you will love Princess as much as HAL. We love both lines....:)

What category of cabin are you sailing in?? Suite perks on Princess are "sweet"...:D

Looking forward to your "Live"

Pam

Lisa have followed you on the HAL board and DH and I have had 6 HAL cruises and loved each of them. Am anxious to know about the Crown since I have promised my grandson a "7"s" cruise this year (he's turning 7 and I'm turning the other "7" with an extra digit in the ones place.) Since it will be just the 2 of us this trip am interested in the children's programs and silly question - pool and beach towels - done like HAL or how are they handled? Just thought there might be more activity for him and not ready for RCI or Carnival.

I've followed your "live" posts for several years and always enjoy reading them because you "tell it like you see it". I'm happy to see you try a Princess cruise and look forward to your "live" post for this cruise. I'm looking forward to your views on Princess vs. Holland America. I really enjoy cruising on both lines and find them very comparable.

I hope you and Tom enjoy your cruise! Bon Voyage!!!!!!

Hi Lisa,

I will be curious of what you think. The Crown Princess is my least favorite ship - so I will be curious your impression. Especially coming from HAL which has fabulous space ratios.

Theresa

Lisa and Tom..have a wonderful cruise...will be enjoying your live reporting:):):)

Lisa have a great first cruise on board the gorgeous Crown Princess. I hope you love the cruise and enjoy what Princess has to offer. Hopefully you'll be back for more Live From threads of your own on board Princess ships after this first one.

Bon Voyage! Looking forward to your Live from the Crown.

Thx for doing a live from thread. I always enjoy them on the HAL board. Can't wait to see what you think of Princess.

Have a great cruise--looking forward to your posts---we are booked on the Crown for an Aug cruise (also our first with Princess).

Marge

I am looking forward to your reports. Best wishes.

Hi Lisa!

Just booked the Crown today for a March 13 sailing. Have been on her sister ship the Emerald twice-just loved it!

Welcome...I can't wait to read your posts!

Lisa have followed you on the HAL board and DH and I have had 6 HAL cruises and loved each of them. Am anxious to know about the Crown since I have promised my grandson a "7"s" cruise this year (he's turning 7 and I'm turning the other "7" with an extra digit in the ones place.) Since it will be just the 2 of us this trip am interested in the children's programs and silly question - pool and beach towels - done like HAL or how are they handled? Just thought there might be more activity for him and not ready for RCI or Carnival.

My daughter was 5, 7 and 8 on her Princess cruises and she really enjoyed the program (she had Carnival to compare it to, which she seemed to prefer). Lots of activities, especially if you are going when there's lots of kids. Probably many of the same activities on the other cruiselines, but Princess has a partnership with the California Science Center to provide itinerary-related science projects such as building models of glaciers (Alaska in that case) and dissection of squid (probably the most favorite of all the activities for the kids).

Lisa, can't wait to read your experiences on the Crown. Hope you have a great time and great weather. (you'll be missing several days of rain as we're about to start getting the first of several storms in a row here in LA on Sunday night and I imagine it'll be hitting LV soon after).

Lisa,

I look forward to reading your posts. We will be on the Crown in a few weeks and are very interested in your opinion. We were on the Zuiderdam for the holidays and we had a great time. I hope the Crown cruise will be as good.

Lew

Looking forward to your posts on the Crown. We LOVE HAL - but are sailing with Princess for the first time in July, onboard the Crown Princess. We are very concerned about the size of the ship; HAL's are so much smaller in size.

Bon Voyage Lisa! Looking forward to reading more of your adventure:)

Bon Voyage Lisa.

Have a great cruise .

Looking forward to your reports.

Looking forward to detailed comparisons between Princess and HAL... because I am seriously considering Princess in the near future but wanted to wait for your impressions (and typical honesty) before booking. Hey, I think that may qualify you as our personal cruise consultant! :D Thanks!